[Locke]

Originally Posted by Textcritic

I have watched a dozen replays of this hit now about a dozen times, and I am not sure how so many of you are so certain about the "main point of contact" in the chest/sternum area. I can agree that this is a distinct possibility, but have yet to see anything where this is conclusive. To my eye Aho's head could very well have been the first point of contact with Giordano's shoulder. I think at best the hit to chest and head are basically simultaneous.

I have no problem identifying this as a head hit because, well, Giordano's shoulder plowed into Aho's head. I also have no problem seeing this as unintentional contact with the head, and a very unfortunate accident that was probably unavoidable in the timeframe the event took place.

But these sorts of incidentals ought not deter the League from prioritizing the seriousness of blows to the head in the game. The right thing to do is to err on the side of caution, which means that in situations like this where there are ambiguities the League should and must always side with the injured party. I understand why Giordano will probably receive a suspension for this hit—even though he bears no culpability for malicious intent in his check, he is responsible as the delivering agent.

If you want to criticize Gio for any hits to the head it would have to be to Williams during the fight after the hit.

Those were far more dangerous.